Shop Key Trends From the Fall 2012 Haute Couture Shows

Though some might consider them inaccessible, irrelevant and outdated, the haute couture collections actually have a good amount of influence over the trends of the day. While the exact looks that make it down the Paris runways twice yearly might only be worn by a handful of lucky celebrities and private clients, the styles and silhouettes shown by these esteemed fashion houses often trickle down to the ready-to-wear collections—and, in turn, into stores and e-commerce destinations everywhere.

But you don’t have to wait that long—many couture-minded looks are already available to buy right now, and for decidedly non-couture prices. Click through to learn about five standout trends we spotted at Fall 2012 couture week, and to shop some far more affordable iterations of each.